The Oklahoma City Thunder had a week to rest and heal from the minor injuries they received in the first round against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the wait is over as the Thunder will face the Denver Nuggets in the second round. The Nuggets just got out of a hard-fought seven-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers and will only have one day to rest and prepare for the Thunder. The Thunder vs. Nuggets series has the potential to be the best second-round series in the NBA, pitting the top two MVP candidates in back-to-back years against each other, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. Let’s dive into the three keys for the Thunder in Game 1 and why this first game is important for the Thunder.
3 Keys For The Thunder in a Very Important Game 1
1. The Thunder’s Big Three Must Show Up
The Thunder swept the Grizzlies in the first round despite their MVP candidate not playing well for three of the four games. Throughout the series, he was struggling with his efficiency and was very quiet in the games. However, going into a series against the Nuggets, OKC will need Gilgeous-Alexander to perform the way he did in the regular season, which could earn him his first-ever MVP. In addition, the Nuggets don’t have good options for point-of-attack defenders to throw at Shai, which should make his life easier. Since the Nuggets don’t have a good option to throw at Shai, there could be a lot of double teams thrown at Gilgeous-Alexander to get the ball out of his hands.
This is why Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have to carry over their success from the first round for OKC to be at their best. Williams and Holmgren were the two best players for Oklahoma in the first round, as they seemed way more comfortable this time in the playoffs compared to last year. If the Thunder wants to win Game 1 and this series against the Nuggets, the trio of Shai, Chet, and Williams must outperform the trio of Jamal Murray, Jokic, and Michael Porter Jr.
2. Shoot Better from Three
Last year in the playoffs, the Thunder couldn’t hit a shot from behind the arc and shot the worst out of all eight teams in the second round. This year in the playoffs has been no different, as they ranked 14th out of 16th in three-point percentage. The Thunder have been in the top 10 for three-point percentage the last two years in the regular season; however, in the playoffs, they can’t seem to hit their shots. Either the Thunder’s role players are just in a cold streak whenever the playoffs start, or the playoff lights are still too bright for this young OKC team.
The Thunder could have a huge advantage against the Nuggets if they can hit their three-point shots. The Nuggets don’t shoot the three-ball at a high rate, as they ranked 16th in this year’s playoffs in attempts. However, their percentage is third-best in the playoffs at 38.9%. The Thunder shot the third-most threes in the playoffs at 41.5 attempts per game. If the Thunder can get back to hitting their three-point shot at the rate they were in the regular season, while keeping the same attempts, it will be a huge advantage over the Nuggets.
3. Take Away an Aspect of Jokic’s Game
The last key for the Thunder in game 1 is that they must find a way to take an aspect away from Jokic’s game. There are probably three to five players in the NBA who can control a game or series by themselves, and Jokic is one of them. He can beat you with his scoring ability, as he has drastically improved in that area over the years, or with his passing ability. If both or lethal in this series, and he is averaging close to 30 points a game and well over 10 assists per game, the Nuggets have a good shot at upsetting OKC in the second round.
This is why the Thunder must force Jokic to either be a scorer or a passer; he can’t be both. The Thunder must either double-team Jokic and force the ball out of his hands or stay home and have him play one-on-one. This way, you are taking away one aspect of Jokic’s game that makes him so lethal. In addition to slowing down Jokic, OKC must also slow down Murray, and can’t let him go for high-scoring outputs in this series. Keeping Murray under 20 points a game in this series will be just as critical as slowing Jokic down.
Why Game 1 is Super Important for the Thunder
Usually, Game 1 isn’t too important for either team as they are typically the feel-out game. However, this Game 1 will be super important for OKC to win. The Thunder have been off for eight days and will be well-rested for the second round. In addition, they would have had those eight days to prepare for the Nuggets. On the other hand, the Nuggets will only have one day to regroup and prepare for the Thunder after a series against the Clippers went the full seven games. If the Thunder can’t win Game 1 when they are more rested and prepared than the Nuggets, how will they be able to win games further into this series when they don’t have that advantage anymore?
The Last Word
Finally, as there are other keys and storylines to the Thunder and Nuggets series to determine the winner, the three listed above are the important ones for OKC. If the Thunder can excel in those three areas, they will have a good chance at winning this series and advancing to the Western Conference Finals. However, if they can’t and get eliminated again in the second round, there could be big changes for the Thunder with their role players. However, fans should sit back and enjoy two MVP candidates battling for the right to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Photo credit: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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